True Secrets
by Sera Makkusu
Summary: *sequel to my story Fruits Basket* This is my take at putting the Fruits Basket graphic novels into REGULAR stories. I guess you can't consider it REAL fanfiction. No copyright infringement intended. Now you can enjoy Furuba all over again, but different!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: At last, True Secrets is here!! This starts with volume five! I'm glad I could finally start the story up on Fan Fiction. I took so long because I wanted to give myself some time to continue writing because during the school year, I can't take out as much time to write. Anyway...I hope you're ready for more because there's still a lot to come! Happy reading!! And please point out spelling mistakes, typos, ect.! :))**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket!!  
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"Wow there's a lake!" Tohru beamed. She looked out the open door to the balcony, but past it to see. "It's so pretty! And so big!"

"Is it that unusual for you to see a lake?" asked Hatori. He put his hand on the top of the doorway where his head almost reached, standing next to Tohru.

"Yes!!" she answered, "This is the first time I've seen a real one!!"

Yuki stood on the other side of her, silent, and observing the forest and lake.

Shigure laughed, "Huu huu huu…A summer house like this by the lake, you half-expect _Jason_ to show up!" Tohru looked over to Shigure on the couch holding a closed fan, eyes wide, Yuki looked over, too, amused, and Hatori just ignored them and kept looking out the door. Shigure opened his fan and waved it a few times.

"There he goes again…" Yuki sighed.

Kyo sat in the middle of the living room, arms crossed. _Jieison…Jaysun? Now where have I heard that before?_

Clearly seeing the confusion on Kyo's face, Shigure grinned. "'Jason' is a new species of bear. You are so ignorant, Kyo-Kun."

Kyo spun around, embarrassed. "Shut up!! I knew that!!" Although he didn't, because Jason isn't even a bear.

"Is it a foreign kind of bear?" Tohru asked, clueless.

"That's not it…" Hatori muttered, putting a hand on his forehead, irritated.

_Hello, everyone! It's sudden, but right now…we're at the Sohma summer home. Surprisingly, Hatori is with us, too. I'm so happy! But…_

sss

"Honda-San…"

"Yes?"

"Um…well…" Yuki stammered. "Never mind. It's nothing. I'm sorry."

_I can't quite put my finger on it…_

sss

Kyo stood against the wall, staring at her. She just blinked and looked back at him. He looked away, and she looked down.

sss

_…But there's something strange…about the way Yuki-Kun and Kyo-Kun are acting. It all began yesterday…on the night of the day we visited Mom's grave. _

_ Tohru, Yuki, and Kyo sat at the table, silent as ever. _

_ They were both very quiet…as if they had something heavy on their minds. _

_ "Umm—"_

_ "I'm HO-OME!" Shigure called as he opened the door and walked in. _

_ "Ah! Welcome home, Shigure-San!" Tohru greeted him._

_ "I'm back. Welly welly well then! You'll all come along with me tomorrow, won't you?" he asked them._

_ The three of them all said, "Huh?"_

_ "Well, Golden Week starts tomorrow, right?" Shigure clarified, "Vacations like this don't come up every day, so let's _go_ somewhere!" _

_ "Why are you suddenly saying stuff that doesn't make any sense?" Kyo looked at him. "Are you drunk?" he asked. _

_ Shigure laughed at that. "I protest! I may drink saké, Kyo-Kun, but I do _not_ get _drunk_." _

Not that it would matter…he always acts drunk, _Yuki thought._

_ "Come on, come on!" Shigure encouraged. "We could go to a Sohma summer home, or stay at a resort! Right, Tohru-Kun? Tell 'em."_

_ "Eh?!" She went to him and held her hands up, waving them in front of her. "B—But I've already been treated to a trip once this year, so…"_

_ "Ah!" Shigure cut her off, holding up a finger, "But I didn't go with you that time!" He sighed, putting on a 'face'. "Truthfully, Tohru-Kun…my heart longed to go with you…" he said. Tohru's expression turned from panic to understanding. "I felt so left out…" Shigure sighed. _

_ "All right, then!" Tohru agreed instantly, "Let's go!"_

_ "DON'T MANIPULATE HER!!" Kyo and Yuki snapped. _

_ "Yes, yes, yes. And now, you two will join us, won't you?" Shigure asked them both. "You wouldn't _dare_ leave me all alone with poor defenseless Tohru-Kun, would you?" he challenged. "Not that I wouldn't mind if you did…"_

_ Yuki and Kyo looked at him, eyes narrowed, and decided that they could _not_ let that happen. It took them a while to notice that they were also being manipulated as well. It was an endless stare down. _

_ "Well, then!" Shigure finally broke the silence, "Now that we're all in agreement, we can zoom there via car! I'll drive!"_

Manipulate? _Tohru kept going over in her mind, trying to understand. _Manipulating…me?

_"Shigure, do you even have a license?" _

_ He stopped, and looked down. After hesitation, Shigure answered, "Of course I do!" while looking back up. _

_ "…Then what was that pause for…?"_

_ Deciding to take the safe plan, Hatori did the driving and tagged along. Shigure laughed and fanned himself in the passenger seat while Tohru, Yuki, and Kyo crowded in the back. "Haa-San's driving is so polite. Isn't it grand?!" Hatori said nothing, but kept his hands on the wheel, eyes on the road, making sure to be extra careful and wearing his glasses. Then…he realized that Shigure was completely right. _

_And…that's how it happened…that we came to this summer house. But I can't help worrying about the two of them brooding like that, _thought Tohru.

Kyo looked up from his spot on the floor and over. "Hey, Shigure. What made you decide to do this trip all of the sudden?" he asked, eyes thinning.

Shigure smiled, innocent, as if nothing was wrong at all. "Huh?"

"That's what I want to know," Yuki said, also looking over. "You don't have some _ulterior motive_?"

"Dear, dear, you two are so cynical," Shigure said, leaning back and closing his fan to tap it on his head. He sighed and looked down. "I honestly just wanted to go on a trip with everyone. It saddens my heart that you would _suspect_ me so. If you don't have anything better to do than pick on people…the two of you should take Tohru-Kun for a walk down to the lake," he suggested. A silence followed. "What? What's eating you two? You're so _gloomy_."

Tohru forced a smile and held up nervous hands. "Um—It's okay, I can go by myself."

"Hmph. You leave me no choice," Shigure said, seriously. "To cure this gloom…we need someone _bright_." He thought a moment. "Of course!" He reached for the phone and it clicked. "Let's call _Aaya_!!"

"Call him…AND I'LL KILL YOU…"

Because of Yuki and Kyo's response to his idea, he slowly put the phone back on the receiver. Before he could get any more ideas, Yuki and Kyo decided to walk Tohru down to the lake.

"They should have just gone in the first place," said Shigure, watching them leave from the balcony. He hindered a smile and shook his head. "They've been strangely downhearted since yesterday, those two."

"Shigure…" Hatori started, back to his cousin, "about why you suddenly decided to come out here…" He exhaled smoke from his cigarette. "Don't tell me. You're being mean to your editor again?"

Shigure stopped, hiding the bottom half of his face with his fan. He chuckled and his smile grew, imagining what her reaction could be right about now.

sss

The paper rustled against the outside wall of the Sohma house, only attached by a small piece of tape.

I'm going on a journey. Please don't look for me.

Shigure Sohma 3

Mitsuru grabbed the sides of her head and stared at the paper with wide eyes. She cried out and screamed, unable to suppress it, falling to her knees. Her cell phone lay on the ground next to her, still on with her manager.

"Mitchan!" came a distressed voice from the other side of the call, "Mitchan, just come back to the office! It's okay! He's just teasing you again!! Please, Mitchan…don't do anything drastic!!" pleaded her manager.

sss

"I'm not being _mean_!" Shigure turned to Hatori with a plastered smile. "I'm just _playfully teasing _her!" he said, seeming to like what he'd done.

_That poor woman…_thought Hatori.

sss

The three of them walked silently through the woods. Tohru walked behind Yuki and Kyo, worrying. Her hands were together, shaking along with the rest of her. She looked down in horror. _Oh! It's heavy!! There's an infinitely heavy weight looming over us!! The two of them aren't even arguing! _she realized, taken over by doom.

_Why did they suddenly get like this? I don't remember them being like this before we visited Mom's grave…What could be the cause? _She gasped, looking up, eyes wide. _That must be it!! The only possible explanation is that it's because _of me_! I must have said or done something to offend them while we were visiting Mom's grave!! Only, the two of them are so nice that they couldn't say anything…_

Tohru quickened her pace only a second to walk in between them. She clasped her hands and looked down, ready to just say it. She stopped walking. "Um…I'm…I'm sorry!"

The boys walked only two steps ahead before they also stopped to look back. "Huh?"

"I really am so stupid…I didn't even notice at all…" she continued, "Um, um, um…If I did anything to offend you, please! Tell me! I'll make sure to never do it again," she promised. "So…" She blushed, and was about to cry. Actually, she kind of already was. "So please…" She couldn't finish. _Go back…to the way you two always were…_

Yuki became honestly concerned and started back to her. "Honda-San…? Wait…Wait a second…"

"Wha…What the…? What are you talking about?" Kyo asked, also concerned. He walked back towards her too, but tripped in the process, unfortunately. "WOAH!" He lashed out an arm to catch himself on a tree. He fell against the tree but stood back up.

"Kyo-Kun?! Kyo-Kun, are you alright?!" Tohru exclaimed.

"Dammit!" Kyo grumbled. "Who's idea was it to go on this pathetic excuse for a trail?!" He looked back to where he'd tripped and saw a hole. It looked oddly like a giant paw print.

"These…these footprints…" muttered Tohru. She kneeled to the ground, her hands held together. Her eyes grew wide and her hands shook frantically as she stood back up. "It's Jason!!"

"Jason?!" Kyo repeated, also frantic, now.

"They're bear tracks," Yuki said, coolly yet smartly, as if they should know by now that Jason is not what they think it is.

Tohru went into a panic. She started shaking violently. "Wh—wh—wh—what should we do?! It's unsafe! It's terrible! It's dangerous!!" She started backing away from the prints in the ground, but still faced the others. "Please, you two! You should get back to the hou…" her voice dissolved into nothing.

She took a step too far and her foot no longer was in contact with the ground. The other one in seconds was also not in contact with the ground. She wasn't even right side up anymore, but falling, facing the sky, eyes wide, frozen and unable to breathe.

"Honda-San!" Yuki exclaimed. He and Kyo went with her, because they couldn't let it end like they feared.

sss

Shigure propped up his elbow on the table, and lightly smiled. "Yes, yes, it's okay," he said, assuring, to his editor on the other line of the phone. "The manuscript is already done. It's just a joke," he told her, tapping his closed fan on his leg as he sat. "Later," he said before he put the phone back on the receiver.

He turned to Hatori with a face that told of his ruined fun. "I have humbly put in a call to my editor…"

"Of course. Don't cry…" Hatori added, noticing Shigure's expression.

"I'm bored! I'm bored! I'm bored!!" Shigure whined, squeezing his eyes shut and having a tantrum like a child.

Hatori sighed. "I'm bored too." And honestly, he didn't have anything to do either.

"Oh no!" Shigure's eyes grew wide as he said this and he looked straight at Hatori. "You _can't_ be bored, Haa-San! I brought an _assortment_ of recommended books!"

"Hm?"

"What better way than to take advantage of this carefree leisure time than by catching up with your reading?!"

Hatori looked to the side to see a few stacks of books that Shigure brought. He said nothing, but thought over what Shigure had said, and he did like reading, but he came to a realization. _I see…Kana's wedding,_ he realized. _Maybe that's why Shigure's so worried about me. Come to think of it, Ayame came to see me recently, too…_

_Ayame came into the office with a cup in his hand. "You must be tired from work; here I made you some tea! Gulp it down," he sang._

"Shigure…"

"Yes?" Shigure held out a book.

Hatori took the book and looked at it, smiling. "No," he said after a pause. "You're right. It _has_ been a while…since I've been able to just sit down and relax with a book."

There was a silence, that was broken by, "I wonder if Tohru-Kun and the others are getting along?"

"If she's with them, I'm sure it's fine," Hatori assured, but with hidden doubt.

sss

The three of them weren't really fine. Tohru sat against a tall tree, face in hands. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" –her voice grew louder—"I'm so sorry!!" Kyo was on the ground beside her, flat down on his stomach, transformed. Yuki was clinging to a piece of bark above Tohru's shoulder, also transformed. This was the result of them both accidentally hugging her when they saved her from the deathly fall.

"Honda-San, are you hurt?" asked Yuki.

"No!" she answered, "And I'm sorry!" she continued her apologies, now crying.

"Sheesh!" Kyo pushed himself off the ground, shook off his tail. "Watch where you're going, why doncha?!"

"Okay, okay!" wailed Tohru. She sniffled and stood herself up. "I'll go gather your clothes," she muttered, walking away.

Yuki dropped to the ground and shook his tiny hands off. "'Watch where you're going'," Yuki mocked his cousin, "As the first person to fall, you have no right to say that."

"Ah?! Don't patronize me!!" Kyo exclaimed. "You fell down first, and you know it!" he said, shooting a glare at Yuki. "That's why little boys who stayed locked in their rooms are so _useless_!"

"It's better than a certain _idiot _who went training in the mountains and came back more hopeless than ever," Yuki shot right back.

"Give me a break!! _Nobody_ could master everything that I had to learn up there in just _four months_! Someone like _you_ would be dead in _two days_!! You could stand to learn from this little hike!!"

"And you could stand to learn some _common sense. _And just so you know, Jason isn't a bear—he's a character in a _horror film_."

Kyo's fur stood up and he looked down on the small Yuki, fuming. "Don't act like you're so smart! Who gives a damn if a bear shows up in a horror movie?!"

Yuki just looked at him for a moment with narrowed eyes. "You truly are an idiot."

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

Tohru, now with clothes, looked up at hearing Kyo's outburst.

"Today will be the day you breathe your last!!" Kyo continued loudly. Yuki scrambled up the tree and sat on a branch, just out of Kyo's reach. Kyo attempted to follow, but failed, his paws were just stretched up before him, clinging to the tree and then scraping down.

"I'm really tired o hearing that line…" told Yuki him from the branch.

"Hold still, dammit!" Kyo hollered, likely being heard even back at the house. He continued to jump up the trunk of the tree, fail, and drag his paws back down, scraping against the bark. Yuki watched, narrow-eyed. "C'mon! Fight like a man! You're cheating!" Kyo accused of him, as Tohru's eyes came up once again, and watched.

"In these forms, you're the one who's cheating," Yuki replied, as rats looking much like him at the moment were climbing up the tree and to him.

"Damn liar!" Kyo jumped up onto the tree trunk and held it, before unsuccessfully going back down. "Look at you, calling all your friends!" he noticed as the fifth rat came down onto Yuki's branch. "And don't be so calm!"

Yuki shut his eyes sighed and said, "They came on their own…I can't help it." His eyes opened, glaring down at Kyo. "How sad," he commented, noticing there was no one coming to him as the rats were to him. "It looks like you don't have any friends on this mountain."

"Dammit! This is why everyone hates rats!" Kyo jumped up the tree again and held him angry stare on Yuki.

Before they could continue their bickering, a lighthearted laugh came from behind Kyo. Tohru, who had been watching, had burst into laughter. "Heehee!" she giggled, going down to her knees, holding their clothes to her chest. "You're fighting!" she managed before she continued her giggles. She was literally crying, from laughing.

"…Honda-San?" Yuki came down from the tree and came over to her.

"W—What?" Kyo followed, eyes as wide, as Yuki's were, too.

"Ah! Oh, I'm sorry!" she apologized, still chuckling. "You were fighting, but I laughed…that was rude of me. B—But for some reason…I felt relieved." She sighed, finally being able to breathe again, now that she stopped. "The two of you were back to normal again…like that."

She wiped her eyes, smiling. "When I thought that, I felt so relieved. I just…It's strange, isn't it?" _Before today, I couldn't do anything about your fighting except watch and worry…but now, it gives me some peace of mind. It's weird…_

Kyo and Yuki were silent and still with gleaming eyes, until Yuki took a step towards her. "Um…well…Honda-San…" he said, "Honda-San…you were saying something before we fell," he pointed out. He paused, and decided to answer. "I wasn't angry with you or anything, Honda-San. If I looked like I was mad, it was—"

He cut himself off as an image flashed through his mind. "It was…it was…" –he looked down—"just that I wasn't feeling well." Tohru gasped and started to panic, but he touched his tiny paw to her knee and told her that now he was alright, and she calmed. "I'm sorry…for worrying you." Her eyes widened.

"Me too," Kyo added, turning away. "I'm not really mad either…at anything. I just…" He looked over only a little. "I just wasn't really…_feeling_ very well." There was a thoughtful silence.

"In the head?"

"No!!" Just as Kyo lunged for Yuki, they both were surrounded by smoke and they were human. Tohru squealed and whirled around just in time, as she always does.

Tohru had dropped their clothes so they both quickly picked up their own and went behind to nearby trees. Tohru sat facing away from the trees they were behind, even though it wouldn't matter if she _had_ looked that way. She waited for a while, red, and soon stuttered, "Th—that's a relief. I'm glad that you weren't feeling well…" She caught herself. "Ah! No, wait! I'm not glad about that, it's just you haven't changed—um—that is."

"Changed?"

"I haven't really changed at all…" In the sense right then, because if not, yes, changed much, thanks to the current situation.

They stepped from behind the tree and Tohru turned as they did. They pointed a finger at each other, or for Kyo, a thumb, and in unison said, "Except that I _really _hate this guy." This resulted in only more silence…but for a much shorter time.

"What did you say?!" Kyo turned to him, angry again.

"What did _you_ say?" Yuki responded more composedly.

"I'll hate you my whole life! I hate you so much I could _die_!!"

"Go ahead. It would save me the effort."

Tohru giggled, and her hair freely blew around her head as she shook with the laughter, now that she'd taken her bows out that were holding her hair in pigtails. Yuki and Kyo both stopped immediately to stare at her, confused mostly.

_I'm glad. It really is better…when they're energetic. But thinking that it's good for them to be fighting…is pretty strange. Still…it really is for the best._

"Do you think maybe we should call it a day?" Yuki suggested.

"Yeah, we can always go to the lake…tomorrow."

"Okay!" agreed Tohru.

sss

His reading glasses were on and he read intently, Shigure's book, Summer-Colored Sigh. He was about halfway through.

"You like?" Shigure asked, grinning.

Hatori set the book down and looked up and at Shigure. "It makes me sick."

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**A/N: Chapter Two will be up very very soon! Thanks again for reading! 3 :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: AHH! I'm sorry! I haven't updated! I've had it all ready and everything for you and I didn't! I apologize. **** I'm losing time to write, so I might stretch out updates. But not for how long it took this time! I hope. D: Ah..I've always loved this idea of creating a way to fall in love with the story all over again. :) ****Well, now here it is, sorry it took so long... There are replies to reviews for Fruits Basket and True Secrets at the end of the chapter, just so you guys know! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket, sadly... :C**

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"Honda-San, are you ready to go?"

"Yes I'm perfectly ready!" Tohru replied to Yuki. Them and Kyo passed Shigure on their way out the door to try and have a nice visit to the lake, as Tohru was excited about.

Shigure glanced up at them from a book he was reading, lounging. "You're going to the lake? Don't fall in, Kyo-Kun," he joked.

It was taken badly and Kyo balled his fists and retorted, "I won't fall in!"

Yuki had a strange feeling that Tohru was _much_ more likely to fall into the lake on their visit. He would keep a close eye on her.

_Yes! _thought Tohru, excitement of the lake only growing. _Here we are, still at the Sohma's summer house._ She giggled out loud, happy.

"Ah!" Tohru remembered something, and walked over to the couch where she saw Hatori's head. "Hatori-San, we're about to take off…okay…?" Her speaking slowed as she saw him lying on the couch, asleep with the lightest, whistling snore, a book fallen flat to his chest, on the page he'd left off. He had luckily fallen back to a pillow.

"Oh, Haa-San's sleeping?" Shigure looked up, now.

"Yes." Tohru smiled.

"Hatori sleeps?" Kyo mumbled, raising an eyebrow at Hatori's general direction.

Shigure sat up. "Kyo-Kun? Everyone needs to sleep," he reminded him with a look that told him he was somewhat an idiot.

"I know that!" Kyo turned to Shigure, fast. "I meant he doesn't seem like he'd sleep _in front of people_!"

Tohru hadn't moved from watching Hatori, and she decided on something, leaving the room and going down the hallway.

"Oh…yes, well, that's true," Shigure agreed with Kyo, "It's unusual." He propped his head up in his palm with his elbow rested on his knee, and smiled to a sleeping Hatori. "Poor thing. He's tired. So much on his mind." His eyes widened, catching himself but mostly because of seeing Tohru run back into the room with a large blanket in her arms.

"He'll catch a cold like that, so I brought him a blanket," she said, concerned for him. She immediately went to Hatori and carefully draped it over him.

"You're so kind, Tohru-Kun. You'll make someone a good wife," Shigure said with a grin.

"Eh? No—that's—" she objected.

Yuki and Kyo thought immediately how stupid Shigure's comment was, in their opinion.

"My, my, how wonderfully thoughtful of you," said a voice, unwelcome by most. They walked up behind Tohru and patted her shoulder, once. "You have my praise."

All eyes widened at the sudden appearance of Ayame. There was a very, very, long silence between everyone. It was so silent; they could hear the light breeze outside and the chirp of only one bird, clear as crystal.

Ayame broke out into his shrill laugh of his and asked, "What's wrong everyone? You're all so stiff! Are you sick?" He repeatedly pat Tohru's head and laughed, making the others, in exception of Shigure, nervous.

"It's because you showed up suddenly!" the two boys exploded at him.

"Don't you learn anything?" Kyo continued, eye twitching, "Where the hell did you materialize from?" he asked, annoyed, and clenching his fists.

Ayame sighed and looked dreamily into the distance. "I came in through the door, obviously. Kyonkichi, you really are such a simpleton," he said.

"You're the last person I wanna hear that from!"

Tohru had drifted back away from Ayame, and to Yuki. "Ah…um…Hello, Ayame-Sa…"

Yuki put his arm out and in front of her to keep her from his brother. "Honda-San, he's dangerous. Don't go near him." And even though there wasn't real danger, in his mind there was some sort of it.

"Gentlemen!" Ayame exclaimed and crossed his arms, but held up a finger. "I know you're all overwhelmed with tears of gratitude upon meeting me again, but please calm down. I came here with the help of a certain individual."

"A certain…individual…?" mused Yuki and Kyo. They gasped and turned to Shigure.

Shigure nervously held up a hand, slightly frightened by their glares to him. "Eh? Just a…no! I swear, it wasn't me!"

"No need to fear, Gure-San!" –Ayame outstretched his arm with an open hand towards Shigure—"Even if the entire world turns against you, I will forever be on your side!"

"Aaya, I can forever count on you to make my heart soar!" Shigure did the same.

"Je t'aime mon amour, bon voyage!"

"Annyeong hashimunika!"

"Well? What the hell did you come here for?" Kyo demanded, very impatient.

"Now, now, you need to calm down," said Ayame, turning back to Kyo. "What was it that Kinpachi-Sensei said? Oh! You might not know." He smiled. "It's from a school drama about razzle-dazzle youth being lifted from ignorance like fish from a dried up stream," he compared.

Shigure also smiled. "That sounds exciting, Aaya, but you're completely off the mark."

Aaya continued, anyway. "Kinpachi-Sensei said… 'You can't have 'hito', the character that means 'person'…without two lines supporting each other'." He looked into the distance with a wondering expression, one hand raised.

Kyo and Yuki gazed at Ayame; Kyo's dripping in irritation, as Tohru looked thoughtful as she decoded the quote. Yuki's gaze transformed into a glare. "…And that is relevant… how?"

Aaya put his hand down and grinned to himself. "Yes, it _is_ a good line, isn't it?"

"YOU JUST WANTED TO SAY IT?" Yuki and Kyo exclaimed.

"I'm worn out! Just _being around you _wears me out!" Kyo went on. "If you don't have any business here, then _go home, dammit_!"

"How rude! I always have business here!" Ayame replied, before turning to Yuki and grasping his younger brother's hands. "Yuki! Let's let today be the day we deepen our brotherly bond!"

"I'll sink you to the bottom of the lake before I let that happen."

"I see! I see! We'll _always_ be together as brothers!"

"SINK BY YOURSELF!"

Tohru laughed a bit, nervous, and held up her hands to try and calm them, but that wasn't needed because everything stopped when Ayame was hit on the back of his head with a book by a disturbed Hatori who was still lying on the couch.

Hatori sat up and brought the book down, looking annoyed. "I thought I told you not to bother people too much, Ayame," he said.

"Why, hello, Tori-San!" Ayame beamed.

Tohru's mouth fell open and she exclaimed, "Hatori-San! Did we wake you up?"

_No one would be able to sleep through all that noise…_he mentally answered.

Ayame bent down with his hands on his hips. "Tori-San, good morning!"

"Sorry for waking you up," Shigure grinned.

Hatori put his face in his hands. _Ugh…just be quiet… _"Well?" Hatori turned his face in his hand so he could barely see Ayame with his near-blind eye. "What are you doing here?"

"Eh? Upon going to the main house and hearing from a maid," –who happened to be fifty-three—"that Tori-San was with everyone at a summer home, I thought –in that case—I wanted to join you all, and left immediately. Of course, I came by car, _comfortably_ and _invincibly_."

_That's insane! In front of Hatori, he just answers the question! _thought Yuki and Kyo, unbelievably.

"Yuki, Kyo…weren't you going to take Honda-Kun to the lake today?" Hatori changed the subject.

"Ah…"

"Oh? Really?" interjected Aaya. "In that case, you _must_ go right away. I don't know why you're still lazing about in here. If you're going to escort a lady, you must be more c_hic_ about it," he lectured.

Yuki and Kyo looked angrier than ever that day, because it was clearly Ayame's fault that they haven't left yet.

"Ah!" Tohru held her hands in front of her, stepping in front of the boys. "Uh, uh, um, well, that is…We'll be going to the lake now…Yes…" she stepped back, shaking, and left with an angry Kyo and Yuki.

Shigure took a seat on the sofa. "Aaya, I thought for sure you'd want to follow them."

"What are you saying, Gure-San? I would _never_ be so _boorish_. Besides, it's been a long time since the three of us have been able to spend time together," Ayame replied, pacing in front of Shigure. He met his eyes. "The night is long…I won't let you sleep tonight…Gure-San."

"I'm honored…that tonight I can share the same dream as you…Aaya." They both smirked.

The smirks instantly dissolved and were replaced with happier grins, and they both gave thumbs up to each other, saying, "All right!"

Hatori, trying to prepare himself a drink in the kitchen, said, "You never get tired of that, do you?" Of course, he was used to it, anyways.

"Oh! Tori-San!" Aaya exclaimed. "If you need any tea, I will of course make some for you!"

He stopped, and looked back at Aaya and Shigure.

"Today," Ayame continued, "I'll make an exception and make some for _Gure-San_ as well!"

"Eh? _Really_? How many _years_ has it been since I've had some of Aaya's tea?" Shigure pondered.

"Of course!" Ayame said, "Be grateful! Aside from Tori-San…there are only two people who can drink my tea!"

"Well of course one is Akito-San," Shigure assumed, "Is the other one Yuki-Kun?"

"_Non, non_! Even if I made some for Yuki, he wouldn't drink it. Sad isn't it?" he said, smiling, and holding up his special tea, soon to be prepared for the three of them.

sss

"Ah…" Tohru breathed, peaceful. She and the boys had found a nice cliff that overlooked the lake. She smiled. "Somehow I feel very refreshed."

"That guy…does he plan to stay the night?" Yuki wondered, horror striking his expression.

Tohru glanced back, worried, but the smile didn't undo. Yuki was sitting on the ground.

"He's _your_ brother," Kyo spat, standing with his arms loosely crossed. "Do something."

They looked away from each other, angry, and Yuki replied, "If I could, didn't you think I would have already? I _hate_ that. I _hate_ it when people are so dependent on others!"

Kyo's eyes widened and his fingers twitched under his clenched fist. He tried to contain himself, but failed. He watched Yuki with his peripherals. "Who's being dependent on others, loser? You're the one relying on Shigure," he retorted.

Anger flaming, Yuki shot up and turned to face Kyo. "That's none of your business! Don't talk to me like you know everything!"

Tohru turned fully around, watching them with surprise at the sudden breakout of the argument, and the direction it was taking.

Kyo faced Yuki. "I'm not talking to you 'cause I want to! You're hanging around in front of me, so I'm gonna see you whether I like it or not!"

"Then you should just _leave_!" Yuki shot back.

"Oh yeah? I'd _love_ to leave! Why do I have to see the stupid lake with _you_, anyway?"

Tohru, being so happy to see them fighting as normal again, was struggling to stop them. She just couldn't bring herself to do it.

"I completely agree. Seeing the lake with you is an endless torture!" Yuki shouted.

"This is stupid!" Kyo exclaimed. "I wish we'd never ca—"

Kyo caught himself, and Yuki caught it, too. They both gasped and turned to Tohru, knowing the argument was making them appear, unintentionally, unhappy with _her_ idea.

"That's not what I meant, Honda-San!" Yuki desperately tried to convince her. "It's not that I hate the lake itself, okay!"

"I just hate being with _him_," Kyo did the same. "Don't get me wrong!"

Her eyes were wide. "O…kay."

They all froze momentarily, but then both Yuki and Kyo turned away, blushing madly.

"No…it's fine…really," said Yuki.

"Well, you understand…" Kyo muttered.

Tohru watched them look away from her, unsure what to think. Then she smiled, and blushed too. Eventually, she turned to the lake, and the others did the same. "Isn't it pretty?" she said, crossing her arms behind her. Yuki and Kyo were on either side of her. "Can we walk around the edge of the lake?"

"…I guess."

"Okay."

sss

"Here." Ayame slid a small package towards Hatori. The two of them and Shigure were sitting at the deck table at the vacation home.

Hatori crossed his arms, and looked from the package to Ayame, sitting next to him. "What is it?" he asked.

"Pictures! Of Kana-Kun's wedding!" Aaya answered. "It's your choice whether to look at them or not," he added, knowing the situation. Hatori was silent.

"You're kidding," said Shigure. "You went, Aaya?"

"_Non, non_!" was Ayame's response. "I got them from Mayu-Kun,"

"Mayu?" Shigure gaped at him. "You saw Mayu?"

Ayame grinned. "Well of course I saw Mayu-Kun, the girl who called you just a ripple before she dumped you after only a month," he reminded Shigure.

Shigure looked away from him, and tapped his fan on his forehead, once. He was clearly embarrassed. "Uh…no, that is…I was _young_," he excused.

"Yeah…she was a college friend of Kana's," Hatori recalled. "The Mayuko who broke up with Shigure after just a month?" he intentionally repeated.

Shigure chuckled, still quite humiliated, and opened his fan to dismiss the perspiration forming on his forehead. "Oh, but Haa-San, you ended up not going to the ceremony, right?" he quickly returned to the subject. "You really didn't want to see her, did you?" They all glanced at the enclosed pictures.

Looking down to the table, Hatori said, "I was afraid she might have _flashbacks_. Kana's memories aren't buried very deep. If she happened to remember something, it would be…problematic."

"Problematic?" Ayame glanced to him. "But if she were to remember those good 'ol days, you might be able to get all lovey-dovey again!" he said with a shrug, causing Shigure and himself to grin.

"Yes, yes!" agreed Shigure. "And you could steal her from the groom, just like in _The Graduate_! How dramatic!"

Hatori was _not_ smiling. "Look, you…" He stopped and sighed, frustrated. "We're not going to get back together. It's over between Kana and me." He looked away, sad, at nothing in particular. "Even if we were together…I would only miss her. I…" he trailed off, being careful what he revealed. _We can't go back to the way things were. The feelings of guilt and shame won't disappear. They'd spread like a cancer…eating away the light and the joy that Kana once brought me. It would only end in sadness for her…and for me._

He realized that he was still expected to finish. "I…don't want to think…that the love has disappeared…but…" Now, Kana's smile, even only from memory, pained his heart so much. "…I don't think I want her near me. And I don't plan to see her."

"Now, all I can do…is pray," he finished. _Be happy, Kana._ Everyone was thoughtful.

…Momentarily.

"I won't agree with that." Hatori and Shigure looked to Ayame. "I'm a Tori-San supporter," said Aaya, "so I fully admit that I'm biased…but I won't agree with that. It's not fair of Kana-Kun!"

Ayame crossed his legs, femininely, and continued, serious. "To me, it looks like Kana-Kun forgot everything…and obtained happiness for _herself_, leaving Tori-San to take on all the pain alone! I can't help but feel that Tori-San was left behind to eat smoke."

"Really?" Hatori said, puzzled by him. He smiled and looked away from him, remembering his and Tohru's encounter early in the winter. "That's…not how I feel."

"Tori-San, you're too kind!" outburst Aaya. "I realize kindness is one of your best features, but seriously, you go way overboard. That's why you always keep suffering needlessly," he explained.

"He does give a point," Shigure agreed, looking in deep-thought. "You always let people push their troubles on _you_," he said, negatively, though he and Ayame were basically the _chief_ suppliers of Hatori's troubles.

_These two should know…_thought Hatori.

Ayame tapped his foot, bringing the attention back to him. "I won't tell you to get back together with Kana-Kun," he said, "Instead please allow me to speak frankly. You know, Tori-San, I…I want to you to _two thousand_ times happier…than you would be with Kana-Kun!"

"Two thousand?" questioned Shigure, "Why two thousand?"

"Because one thousand times isn't enough!"

Hatori smiled. "If only…you would show Yuki that kind of conviction."

"Eh? Really?" Ayame's eyes were wide. "Hm…" He chewed it over.

"But, well…anyway," Shigure said as he snapped his fan shut and stood it on the table, hands over it, "…Next time," –he proceeded to lean on the table—"When you meet a new woman, I hope that she is someone…you wouldn't have to stay distant from, even when you're with her. A woman who…you can truly be_ happy_ with."

"Good job, Gure-San!" Ayame said, smiling. "Spoken like a true poet."

Shigure grinned, but shook his head. "I'm a novelist. _A novelist_."

_A new woman…_Hatori thought of what Shigure said. _…That's a very reckless wish. For us…the cursed members of the zodiac…when I think of the pain we can cause someone we love…I feel that the memories of my time with Kana are enough. _

_ I think I can get by…without anyone else._

"Ah!" Shigure looked to the sound of footsteps on the trail. "They're back."

Hatori looked to see Kyo, Yuki, and Tohru walking up to the house, with lightened moods. _All that I can do now…is watch over them so that they…don't make the same mistakes. So that they don't lose the will…to smile._

Ayame had left the two to ho downstairs and greet the others at the door. "My, my. Welcome back, Yuk! And you're with your little friends!"

Kyo dived back into his usual mood. "Who're you calling his friend?"

Ayame ignored his comment. "By the way, Yuki—"

"_Hey_!" Kyo demanded response.

"I just received some advice from Tori-San," Ayame continued. "From now on, I'm going to deepen our bond with my _forceful conviction_! This is the best way!" he decided.

_The best way is for him to give up, _thought Yuki, dark and irritated.

"Forceful conviction?" Tohru repeated, lighting up. "What do you mean?"

Ayame grinned. "I mean—! Yuki is my younger brother, and I am Yuki's older brother! Based on this indisputable fact, I will make _this _declaration!"

He pointed his finger, preparing it for the moment of truth. "Yuki!" He forcefully pointed his finger from a height above Yuki and declared, "As your older brother, I want you…_to submit to me_!"

His last words echoed off the deep forest, everyone standing silent. Yuki looked at him blankly, head cocked.

Then he smirked evilly. "GO TO HELL!"

Let's say Yuki did _not_ submit to his brother, and instead, backfired with his earlier promise of submerging him in the lake.

Back up on the deck, Hatori took a sip of his tea and said, "Poor Ayame. He just doesn't get it."

"He really doesn't, Shigure agreed, once again fanning sweat away, nervously. He snapped the fan together and tilted his head. _But…_ -he smiled- _You don't either Haa-San. There might…still be more for you in life._

sss

"Mayu-Chan-Sensei!"

"Hey!" Ms. Shiraki angrily turned to the door in her desk chair. "Don't be so familiar with a teacher!" She grinned, then, at the two girls who walked in. "Call me _Great Teacher Mayuko_," she said, pointing a pencil at them.

The girls laughed and approached her desk. "Great Teacher Mayuko," one said, "You're working on your day off?" It was still Golden Week.

"Yup. And it sucks," Mayu answered. "You here for a club?"

"Yup!"

Mayuko stood up and dropped her pencil onto her desk, where it landed on a small stack of pictures.

The pictures, being herself and her dearest friend Kana.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading! Hoped it was okay! I enjoy feedback. ...Just saying. ^_^ HERE ARE SOME REVIEW REPLIES! **

**Fruits Basket-**

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******Kay, guys, see you soon! :)  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey hey! It didn't take me forever this time! I'm really catching up to the end of what I have finished, and I might not be able to update for a while unless I somehow finish the next few chapters in the next week or so. I'm trying, I really am! I just don't have a lot of time. :( Well, enjoy chapter three, guys! :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket! D:  
**

* * *

The rain had picked up, so Yuki and Tohru found a stopping point on the way home from grocery shopping, which was just under the small overhang of a building. Yuki set the bags on a dry area of the ground, and the two of them stood quietly for a near ten minutes, listening to the rain.

When the rain's pitter pattering weakened, Yuki held out a hand to check. "It looks like the rain will stop soon," he announced, smiling.

"That's great!" Tohru beamed at him, clasping her hands. "I was starting to worry about what we would do!"

"Well, let's wait a little longer for it to stop," he suggested. So they resumed silence, waiting.

"Golden Week is already over," Yuki said after a while.

"Yeah…I'm going to miss that summer home."

"Well," Yuki said, "I can't say I'll miss the noise." He couldn't help but give a small grin.

"But spending time with everyone was half the fun!" she said, "Having dinner together and talking with everyone like that…" She thought of them all seated at the kotatsu, Ayame pouring saké for Hatori and Shigure as she dished out her hand-rolled sushi. "It was so much fun! I was sad when it was time to go home. Really," she said.

Yuki's grin widened. "But don't forget that as soon as the break is over, we have mid-terms!"

In reply to _that_, Tohru looked down with a sad sigh, trying to think optimistically. "Ah! But," –her head popped up— "before that…we have student body elections!"

He sighed and the corners of his mouth went down.

Tohru continued, "I hear that student body president Takei-San really wants _you_ to be his successor…but…you don't really want to do you, Yuki-Kun?" she asked, shakily.

"No…" he admitted. "I don't know…what he… or anyone else is expecting…but…it would be a problem if they had the wrong idea." He looked down. "The real me…is more…"

"…More?" Tohru expectantly pressed.

His head came up, suddenly, and he turned to her. "It's nothing…It's nothing!" he assured her with unexpected frustration. Yuki put a hand to his head, developing an ache.

Both looked up at the sound of running footsteps. They saw Hatsuharu carrying something bundled in his coat.

Haru stopped in front of them, sleeveless, and soaked by the rain. He didn't look particularly happy. "Well if it isn't Yuki."

"Haru…"

"Hatsuharu-San?" Tohru gasped.

"What are you doing out here in the rain?" he asked Yuki.

"That's my line," Yuki said, placing his hands on his hips. "You're drenched," he observed, concerned. He—as well as Tohru—stepped out into the rain with Hatsuharu. "You wouldn't happen to be lost again?"

Tohru immediately started to dry his face.

"I was looking for something."

"Looking for something? Your bicycle?"

Hatsuharu took a gloved hand to reveal the contents of his coat. "I was looking…for her." In his arms was a young tiger.

Yuki and Tohru's eyes went wide, Yuki's with recognition.

"What a cute kitty!" Tohru's face glowed with overwhelming excitement.

_I thought she'd say that_, Yuki thought, a soft smile appearing. "Honda-San…this is a tiger."

"Eh?"

"Kisa Sohma. _The_ tiger. Watch out. When she bites, it hurts," Haru warned.

Kisa's eyes were half shut, barely awake in her cousin's arms.

"Eh?" Tohru exclaimed, her hand reaching out a little and trembling with excitement. "But, when you say tiger you mean…_the_ tiger from the Chinese zodiac, so…" –Tohru offered her hand to Kisa— "P-pleased to meet you! I'm Tohru Hon—"

Kisa's eyes snapped open and gleamed, and, not feeling friendly, took a nice, hard chomp on Tohru's delicate hand.

When Kisa finally released her hand, Tohru was stunned, and fell backwards. Yuki frantically called her name and Hatsuharu's eyes just widened.

sss

When they finally got back home, Haru wrapped Tohru's hand and Yuki watched worriedly from the other side of the kotatsu.

"Goodness, that's quite a bite you've got there," observed Shigure.

"Y-yes…" Tohru said, nervous and shocked and in quite a bit of pain. "Sh-sh-sh-she startled me…"

Yuki aimed an irritated look at Kisa, who was, by the way, still a tiger, lying down on the floor, staring at the wall. "Kisa, apologize to her," said Yuki as if he was her father.

Kisa didn't stir.

"Kisa!"

"Uh," Tohru stammered, "I'm fine, so…"

"Yuki-Kun," Shigure said, smiling a small smile, "Satchan doesn't speak."

Tohru and Yuki just looked at Shigure with wide eyes.

"She _can't_ speak," Haru told them, blankly. He tugged a towel, damp with soaked up rain, of his head and around his neck. "Since shortly after she entered middle school…not a word."

"According to Tori-Nii…" Hatsuharu continued as the three others listened, "she has an emotional problem…that's sealed her ability to speak. Because of all that's happened, she's stopped talking, she doesn't go to school…and finally, today she didn't come home."

Tohru gasped.

"So I went looking for her," he went on, "I was surprised to find her in tiger form." And he had found her lying on a little ledge, as if she'd been there hours, which she may have.

"Did she bump into someone of the opposite gender?" asked Tohru frantically.

"It looks like she's just gotten weak," said Haru.

"So…what happened…to cause all of this?" Yuki wondered, looking unhappy for Kisa and possibly himself.

"That," Haru said simply.

"That?" pressed Tohru.

Kisa's little ear twitched. _Don't. Don't. Please don't._

Haru looked up from the floor. "Teasing."

Everyone's eyes widened. Tohru's lips separated with a small gasp. She looked o the verge of tears, relating _too_ well.

Until Kisa jumped up and bit Hatsuharu on his right arm, the one without a wrap-around snake tattoo, like the other one. She bit hard, darkening Haru. Tohru started to panic.

Haru slowly turned his head to Kisa, who was clamped down on his arm. "That hurts," he said, calm and angry. "What…? Are you mad?" he questioned with the same tone. "Are you telling me not to tell them things that are none of their business?"

Kisa looked at him, almost furious.

He continued. "Be serious…do you realize how much we've worried over you? Your mom is out looking for you everywhere right now."

Kisa intensified her glare for a moment and then jumped down—she'd had to stand on her feet to reach his arm—and ran off, straight out the backdoor.

Tohru gasped, turning for her and suddenly going into full panic when Kisa ran outside. "Wh—what should…?" She looked to Haru. "AHH! Hatsuharu-San, you're bleeding! Kisa-San is missing…and the blood!" She hyperventilated.

"Calm down, Tohru-Kun," Shigure said, smiling at her silliness.

"I have to stop Kisa-San's bleeding—No! I have to find Hatsuharu-San! Wait—no! Um, um, um, I have to find Kisa-San to stop the bleeding!" She frantically ran about.

"Calm down…?" Shigure reattempted. Tohru ran outside in search of the tiger.

"You're _too_ calm, Sensei," Haru told Shigure, examining his bite.

Shigure bent down to him, curious. "Haa-Kun…you didn't happen to turn _black_, did you?"

"Mm-mm," he declined. "I'm just a little annoyed because it hurts. …That Kisa's _hopeless_."

Yuki folded his hands, still sitting in the same inconspicuous spot he had been since they arrived home, and set his eyes on Hatsuharu. "You seem awfully worried about her. Are the two of you such good friends?"

"… Huh?" The two of them looked back at him. "Are you jealous?" they asked simultaneously.

"NO!" Yuki exploded, frustrated even more now.

"You're so cold," commented Shigure.

"Isn't he?" said Haru.

Yuki put his hands on the table and looked at them, looking dizzy in a way. _These people…_he thought.

"I just can't leave her alone," Haru answered to Yuki. "She reminds me…of the time you wouldn't speak, Yuki. You would curl up in a ball…and be completely silent. It was all you could do to protect yourself. That's what she reminds me of."

Yuki stood and turned away, smacking his hard fist on the wall. "SHUT UP!"

"Come now, is that really anything to get worked up about?" asked Shigure, coolly.

"Yes, it is," Yuki said, voice little lower than before.

"Are you embarrassed?"

Yuki gave a death glare with his eyes wide open to nothing but the floor. Then he walked off and out the backdoor.

"You know Sensei," Haru said as Shigure sat down with him, "you have a really bad habit of saying things that are like pouring oil on a fire." They both rested their heads on their hands, elbow propped.

"Such is my nature," Shigure chuckled.

sss

"Kisa-San!" Tohru's soul burst with sunshiny happiness when she finally found her. Kisa, on the other hand, nearly jumped out of her fur. "So here you are. Thank goodness! Kisa-Sa—"

She'd gotten sick of Tohru's rambling and turned to bite her once again. The pain was weakened thanks to the bandage on her hand, though.

"It—! Doesn't hurt, it doesn't…hurt…I—It really doesn't hurt at all, not a bit, yes, but, well, um—I hurts a little, but not really…" She fought painful tears.

"Won't you come inside for now…Kisa-San?" a soft voice called from behind Tohru. A woman with close-cut, dark hair kneeled down beside Tohru. Tohru looked to her, surprised. "Kisa…?" she asked again. "Kisa…Kisa…it's your mother." Tohru ignored the pain in her hand and looked at Kisa's mother with wide eyes.

Kisa looked up at her mother, still holding Tohru's hand in her mouth.

"Shigure-San made sure to call me. Hey…what are you doing? What are you doing, causing trouble for everyone around you? What are you thinking? Do you enjoy…worrying your mother?" she asked, softly. She looked at her daughter with glossy, light eyes.

Tohru looked down at the grass, a memory triggering in her mind.

"_The mothers of children possessed by vengeful spirits…usually either become extremely overprotective of them…or reject them." _

"Hey…why didn't you _tell_ me you were being teased?" asked her mother, becoming more frustrated. "Why did you run away? Why won't you_ say_ anything?"

Watching from only feet away, unnoticed, Yuki watched the scene.

"I'm…sick of this," Kisa's mother said. "I don't…want any more of this."

"She _can't_ say it," Tohru told her. "To tell someone who cares about you that you're being teased…is really hard to do. I…couldn't say it either." She frowned. "But after a while, my mom found out. And then…I would apologize to her like I was stupid."

Her mother had kneeled down to her small height, and wiped her tears. "I would feel…so pathetic. I would think that I was so pathetic for being teased. I was ashamed when Mom found out. I wondered…what would I do if she started to hate me? I was so scared."

_I was so scared. _Yuki's thoughts echoed back. He was still inconspicuous. _I didn't want anyone to know I was like that. I would desperately make up stories and try to hide it. And then…I'd feel even more pathetic. _Yuki could remember the many times he'd just sat down on the floor, silent, head in his hands, just…feeling so pathetic. _And ashamed._

"So…" Tohru continued, "when Mom told me, 'It's okay'…I felt so relieved. When she told me, 'There's nothing to be ashamed of'…I was so relieved…that I started crying again," she said.

Kisa's bite loosened.

"Kisa-San…might be feeling the same way," Tohru told Kisa's mother. "She didn't want you…to hate her." Tohru smiled. "It's because she _loves_ you…that she couldn't tell you."

All of a sudden, Kisa dropped Tohru's hand and transformed back. Her mother's eyes were already tearing up.

_I'm sorry. I'm sorry…but…but please…_

"_There's nothing to be ashamed of," Kyoko soothed, wiping away Tohru's tears. "Everything's okay."_

…_don't hate me. Tell me…everything's okay._

Kisa looked at Tohru, sobbing. She instantly clung to her. Oh, how she understood her. She was so…relieved.

_I was always so ashamed. I was ashamed of my weakness. But…I want you to say it. Just once. Even if it's a _lie_. I know it will give me the courage…to try and become strong._

"Stay here?" Kyo asked later that night. "Kisa?" he asked again in surprise.

"What with everything that happened today…I think it's best we take care of her for a while," Shigure said.

"Everything?" Kyo pressed, cocking an eyebrow.

"Does it matter? Kisa's mother was at her wits' end. We should give them both some time apart to recuperate," said Haru, never once glancing up from his—apparently very interesting—novel.

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about. I don't see Kisa anywhere. And what are you doing here?" Kyo asked while giving Haru a tap on the head with his water bottle.

Shigure grinned. "She's glued to Tohru-Kun," he told him.

sss

Sleeping peacefully was Kisa, with her head on Tohru's lap, on the floor with many blankets.

"She's sleeping?" asked Yuki with a soft smile, seated next to Tohru, also on the floor.

"Yes," Tohru said, also smiling as she looked down at Kisa's angelic face.

"You haven't tried to move away—isn't she heavy?"

"Nope," Tohru said. She wouldn't have minded either way, heavy or not.

Yuki tilted his head, eyes fixed on Kisa, still. "She's lucky…Kisa is," he muttered. His smile was so honest, and truly happy.

"Huh?" Tohru turned her head. "Eh?"

Yuki had tilted his head a little too far, so his head rested on Tohru's shoulder, and his chin barely touched his knee that was up, ninety degrees from the other that was on the floor. He kept it there.

Tohru made lame attempts to speak.

"Just for a while…" Yuki interrupted her stammering, "Please let me watch her…just for a while," he requested.

_It will give me the courage I need…to go on._

_

* * *

_**A/N: Again, thanks for reading! And reviews make authors happy! :) **

**REPLIES**

**_WonderLand17-_Really? Thank you! I'm glad it gives you that same feeling. And me too. ;) I'll try to update as often as possible. Thanks again! :)**

**_coffee-_ Thanks! I'll try to update often. Glad you like it!  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey guys, guess what? ...Chapter four. **

**Disclaimer: Hey guys, guess what else? ...I don't own Fruits Basket. :( **

* * *

It was the third day of Kisa's stay at Shigure's house, and she sat silently on the floor with her knees to her chin, waiting outside the bathroom. There was a muffled flushing noise, and her head perked up in time to see Tohru walking out.

"Sorry I made you wait!" Tohru said, smiling awkwardly. _It's kind of embarrassing having people wait for me to come out of the bathroom…_

Kisa ran over to her, just stopping by her side. She grabbed the edge of Tohru's long, button-down shirt and tugged lightly, not meeting her eyes.

Tohru smiled and looked down to Kisa, adoringly. _She's so cute! _her mental self squealed. Strangely, during the three days that Kisa had been staying with them, she hasn't left Tohru's side. Not once. She'd helped her with laundry, and chores, and just stayed with her. _I guess that means she really likes me!_

"She's like a little chick!" Shigure said with a smile, looking up from his book. "It warms the heart."

Kyo sat next to the kotatsu and looked at the two girls walking past with his general irritable expression. "She's not annoyed being followed like that? It'd drive me crazy."

Tohru stopped walking suddenly. Kisa kept coming up behind her and stopped just inches away from her. Tohru grinned and shook, trying so hard to contain herself. While she was squeezing her eyes closed and basically smiling so hard it hurt, she cracked.

She threw herself around one hundred-eighty degrees and squeezed Kisa, tight. "I love you!" Tohru squealed. Kisa was caught by surprise, but eventually her face softened.

"She sure seems to be enjoying it!" Shigure smiled.

Kyo gave the two a strange look before changing the subject. "Yo. I'm hungry."

"Ah! Yes, I'll start dinner!" Tohru said, and turned to Kisa. "Kisa-San, what should we eat tonight?"

Kisa looked at her a moment, but then looked to the floor, not a word spoken.

Tohru looked at her, expectant of an answer, smiling kind, but still not quite sure if she would get anything out of Kisa.

"C'mon, Kisa…" Kyo propped his elbow, the one of the arm with his special red and white bracelet, on the table to make somewhere to put his head. "Can't you even say what you want to eat?"

Kisa's looked hurt. Unfriendly whispers echoed through her mind. The voices of those kids at school, they were.

Shigure pounced on Kyo, and patted Kisa's head, barely reaching over Kyo's head. "There, there. You can always count on stupid, push over Kyo-Kun to say something foolish! Qué será será, Satchan?"

"HEY." Kyo focused his eyes directly up but not far enough to glare at the man awkwardly on top of his back. "Get the hell off me! Don't touch me! Ew!" He shook him off.

"Oh, you're blushing."

Kisa put her hands up, almost like saying 'stop', and slightly, soundlessly set her mouth ajar.

_That's right_, recalled Tohru,_ Kisa-San still can't talk…But…but soon…soon I'm sure…Aha!_ Tohru's idea sparked. She ran out of the room, returning with a notebook and pen. Scribbling furiously, she smiled.

Tohru held up the notebook for Kisa to examine. "Ta-da!" said Tohru seeming pleased with her drawing of a dismantled-looking ladder, complete with three starting points and three end results hidden underneath a paper fold at the bottom of the page. "It's _amida kuji_!"

"Huh?" Kyo.

"Oh, I see," said Shigure, smiling understandingly. "You're going to decide using the ladder game?"

"Yes! Kisa-San, point to wherever you like!"

Kisa pointed her finger to the third starting point along the top of the drawing. She then put her finger down.

"Here, right?" –Tohru pointed the pen to the same thing— "Okay! Here we go!" Tohru followed the line down, and took every possible turn that would eventually lead her to an answer. "La-la-la-la-laa…" she sang as theme music.

Shigure, looking over her as she did so, like everyone else, asked what she was singing. No response.

"Okay, it's decided!" Tohru grinned. She folded down the flap, and read the first answer. "Tonight we're having…Nira-tama!" Nira-tama is a dish starring leeks and eggs as main ingredients.

Someone was not very happy with the choice. "Leeks…" grumbled Kyo, turning away. "Might as well've just come out and said it…of all things…"

"Eh? Uh, no, um, I didn't mean to!" Tohru stammered, "Um, that is…What should I say?"

Kisa observed the scene with wide eyes. _Was a fight going to break out? An argument…?_

"Just…do your best," Kyo told her.

Kisa smiled.

"Ahh! I'm sorry!"

_I'm sure she'll start talking…in an adorable voice._

Unseen around the corner, Yuki listened to Shigure's voice, next. "Oh dear, they're having a lovers' tiff over something like that."

"What did you—? No!" he heard as Kyo.

"Wow, Kyo-Kun, I didn't think you'd even know what a 'tiff' is."

_But…—_thought Yuki—_she can't run away…forever._

sss

"She can't stay at Shii-Chan's house forever…right?" Momiji, Tohru, Yuki, and Hatsuharu conversed after school. "What will Kisa do after this?" Momiji wondered.

"She's probably thinking about that right now," Haru guessed. "She really internalizes her problems. She obsesses over things, making them a bigger deal than they were before. That's probably why she ended up running away. And…her mother…"

"Momiji-Kun…" Tohru started, looking to him, "Kisa-San's mother is doing better," she notified him. "She called yesterday…"

_"Is Kisa eating enough?" "Kisa doesn't like dry foods very much…" "Her favorite dish is Nira-tama."_

"That means…that means Kisa's mutti is thinking about her…right? If she wasn't she wouldn't call…right?" Momiji said.

"That's right!" said Tohru with a smile.

Momiji suppressed a smile. "Right!" he laughed.

"Still," Yuki crossed his arms, "I wonder why…she was being teased?" he said, intent on staying on the topic of concern.

"Huh? What? I don't know," Haru said, being of no help, acting as though he didn't care a bit. Where on the inside, he did. A lot.

"I know," said Momiji, looking somber. "I heard some ladies gossiping. Kisa would never tell anyone. Rumors start, you know? At first, it was just the way she looked. Like her hair and eyes…" Kisa had orange looking hair, and similar eyes, but tinged with brown. "…it made everyone feel weird, they said."

Haru took a strand of his white hair and pulled his fingertips across it, saying, "Such is the fate of those who are possessed by spirits with unusual hair colors. I got that a lot, too."

Yuki narrowed his eyes and looked at him with his peripherals. "Yes, but whenever someone said any of those things to _you_, you'd turn black and beat them to a pulp."

"Well, I wasn't as bad as Kyo. He would beat them nearly to _death_." He sighed. _Now that's what I call delinquent…_

Tohru looked horrified at that comment.

Momiji looked down, unaffected, "But you know…They said that Kisa tried really hard. She told them she couldn't do anything about her hair and eye color. And then…everyone started to ignore her. Then…even though they were ignoring her…whenever Kisa said anything they'd laugh. She wasn't trying to be funny, but they'd just start giggling."

"You know…" he continued, "I've never had that happen to me in class. All I can do is imagine…and so that's what I did…wondering how I'd feel if everyone started giggling at me every time I said something. It…It was a very…sad feeling." His eyes watered. He tilted his head.

Tohru's eyes watered, also. They both sat together, crying. Yuki was alarmed at first, but calmly gave them something to wipe their eyes, and attempted comfort.

_If everything you say…gets laughed at…then you become afraid of everyone…and are no longer able to speak…even knowing that all that does is bother everyone. Everything looks completely dark. Your heart…shuts down. And your words die._

"Hey, class is starting."

"Yuki," said the ox. "I'm going to sensei's house today. I want to see Kisa and I have something to give her."

"Something to give to her?" Yuki repeated.

"A letter." Haru held it up for proof. "From Kisa's teacher. The contents'd probably make you vomit."

Momiji left with Haru. Yuki wondered what it could be. He and Tohru stood, now alone. "I know it's not good…" he said to her, "to be _weak _and helpless…but I don't think it's good to be too _strong_ either. In our society, they talk about survival of the fittest. But we're not animals…we're _human._" …Silence.

_Even we members of the Chinese zodiac…are human._

Though Tohru's tears have not quite stopped, she smiled and looked at him. "Yes. _Yes._"

He smiled. "Yeah. I think I _have_ gotten braver."

sss

_What's more important…than anything?_

Kisa read the note, absorbed the message. She slumped over where she was sitting, on the edge of the back porch of Shigure's. Yuki watched her, still not knowing the contents. Haru bent down next to her. "What does it say?" he asked.

Haru took the note and flipped it open. He read it to himself. It said:

_Sohma-San, how are you? Will you be coming to school soon? Everyone in class is waiting for you to come back. _

Haru paused to say, "It really does make me want to vomit…"

_You can come to me for advice, so won't you try harder to join everyone? And what's most important…is for you to like yourself, Sohma-San. To find the good things about yourself and to like yourself for who you are. Because people who don't like themselves can't expect others to like them. _

That was it. Haru passed it to Yuki. Kisa looked down and shed a tear. Yuki read the letter, and appeared bleak, now. "There was a time…when I stopped talking. Just like you," said Yuki. "My reasons…were a little bit different…but…I think…the feelings…of being ashamed and hating myself…are the same."

Kisa looked up at him, surprised. Yuki gave her the note. "Here. It says to 'like yourself'. What does that mean? Good things—how are you supposed to find them? I only know things that I hate about myself. Because that's all I know, I hate myself," he admitted. "But…even if you force yourself to find good things, it feels so _empty_. It doesn't work that way. People like your teacher just doesn't get it."

"I think…when you hear someone say they like you for the first time…then you can begin to like yourself. I think when someone accepts you for the first time, you feel like you can…forgive yourself a little. You can begin to face your fears," said Yuki.

…_with courage._ Kisa started crying. "…Yeah." Both Haru and Yuki looked at her. "Yeah. …Yeah. I was so…happy," she spoke.

Haru was speechless, and Yuki said her name as he came to sit next to her, on the opposite side where Haru was. "Kisa…what do you…want to do next? Do you think it's okay to stay like this?" Yuki asked.

She shook her head, fiercely. "No…never…I have to…try my best…or I'll…become…worse and…worse. Even if I can't make up with them. Even if they all…ignore me." _Even if my heart…is still seen as inferior. _"I still have to…try my best," she said, struggling to get it all out without worry.

"That's right," Yuki said. _Someday…I'll have to stand up for my worthless self._ "Let's try our best. I'll try too," he promised, smiling. "And if you get sad again…or things get too rough, come here. Here…"

_Is where she is. _Tohru is she.

Hatsuharu pulled Kisa into his arms. "It's been so long. You finally…spoke."

_Let's try our best?_

sss

Tohru was walking home, just an ordinary night.

"Onee-Chan," said the sweet, sweet voice of a child.

She looked over, to see Kisa coming towards her, and Yuki nearby. "Onee-Chan…" Kisa smiled.

Tohru gasped, eyes wide, and ran to her. _I hope that someday…the many…many, tears that were shed…will be worth it. _"Kisa!"

sss

_And so…Kisa-San said that she would go to school…even though it'll take a while for her to get used to speaking again. Everyone walked with her part of the way to see her off._

Haru, Momiji, and Tohru watched her go off to the school. "Yuki should have come too," said Haru. "He said he had something to do."

_To be honest, I was sad to see Kisa-San leave my side, _thought Tohru. _I'll _cope_ with it. I have to. After all, Kisa-San is fighting so bravely. _

_ Try your best. Try your best, Kisa-San._

sss

Yuki slammed down the papers on Takei's desk.

"WHA—? WHAT IS IT NOW?" President Takei demanded.

"About succeeding you as student body president…_I accept._ I apologize for running away…and for causing you trouble," said Yuki. He smiled. "I want to make up for it by fulfilling the duties of student body president. I humbly request your guidance."

Takei gazed at him. He looked happy to the point of tears. "Yuki-Kun. You're doing this for me—!"

"No." Yuki slammed the door behind him.

sss

_It's not that…I've suddenly become stronger…or that something has changed. I'm still shaking…but…we don't have to let those fears stop us. _

Kisa stood before the door to that familiar classroom. She was seconds away from sliding it right open.

_What's most important…_

Yuki walked away from the President's office. He did what he had to and went out the door…and down the hallway…

_…is that we try to rise above our weakness._

_

* * *

_**A/N: Thanks for reading! Reviews? :D Here are some replies. **

_**Emma- **_**Thanks for making an exception for me! :D I'll try to update often! **

**_Angel _and _Lyla_- Thank you I try my absolute best! **

**_Kisa- _Really? Wow! Never thought I'd change someone's point of view on a character. I will most definitely write more because I have been attacked by ninjas, and it was very chaotic. D:  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Yayyy here we go with Chapter 5! It only took me about 2 or 3 days to write this one. If you only have seen the anime, then you're probably going to wonder where the fourth fan club girl with the froggie hat is...or the video camera...Well, let me just remind you that I base this off of the MANGA! :) Heh.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket.  
**

* * *

"Yo!" Uotani clutched the sides of Tohru's head, ripping her away from her current task to turn her attention to another scene. "Tohru, check it out."

"Yes?"

"Hanajima's talking to Kinoshita."

"You're right! I wonder if they've become friends?" Tohru wondered.

"_As if_! She _hates_ their type!"

Down the hall, the two were talking. Kinoshita smiled, while Hanajima just kept her blank expression. Mio quietly stood behind Kinoshita or Minami as she called her. As Hana walked away, Kinoshita slipped in a few more words and another smile.

"Oh! They're coming!" Uo said, "Yo! Hanajima!"

"Oh my…you were watching us?" Hana asked, impassively.

"Wha' sup? Were they trying to stick you with the blame for something?" Uo questioned. The fact she was talking to those girls raised her suspicion.

"They say they want to have a special feature on denpa waves in the next issue of the school paper. They don't have any reference material, so they want to come to my house…"

"Huh? What're they thinking with a feature like that?" wondered Uo. She ignored the guy trying to get inside the door she was standing in front of.

"Who knows?" said Hana, "However…I felt the unmistakable presence of sinister waves…"

Tohru looked worried, but Uo asked, "Well? Did you say okay?"

"Of course…I can't back down from a challenge when the waves might break…"

"All right! A fight! That's what I like to see!" Uotani clenched her fist and grinned. "It all sounds so suspicious, I can't help but feel curious. 'Kay if I drop by after work?"

"Yes, of course…Will you be coming, too, Tohru-Kun?"

"I'm sorry," Tohru apologized, smiling, though, "Today I want to pick up Kisa-Sa—Ah! No…I mean there's somewhere I need to go," she failed at covering up. After she did that, she needed to go to work anyway.

Hana just looked at her, but finally tilted her head and smiled. "Really…"

_"Sinister waves…"_

sss

She watched from above as Yuki passed them, not knowing that they were still watching him go, blushing, swooning. She watched Yuki continue walking.

Then she swooned, herself. "How can it be?" She sighed. "Yuki's beauty sparkles even brighter than usual! What is it? Is it the glitter of the dignity of being the next student body president? No…" She smiled, and touched her hand to her heart. "No, it's something else. That is the sparkle of a _prince_."

"MOTOKO-SENPAI!" Kinoshita burst through the door, panting. She, Motoko, turned from the window, her little speech interrupted, so fast her waist-length hair turned with her. "'Operation: Invade the wave girl's house' is a success!" reported Kinoshita.

"Well done! Well done, Minami-San! Did the wave girl suspect anything?" asked Motoko.

"No, nothing! She just gave the okay!" answered Kinoshita. Mio came in behind her, panting, also.

"Perfect. Let us move on to the next step." Motoko smiled to herself. Now, she was ready for business. "Prince Yuki Fan Club, first-year representative, Mio Yamagishi-San!"

"Reporting!" responded the quiet girl with short jet-black hair.

"Second-year representative, Minami Kinoshita-San?"

"Ready for orders!"

"And I—!" –Motoko turned back to them, dramatically— "the third-year representative, Motoko Minagawa! Together we cannot fail in our mission: THE EXTERMINATION OF TOHRU HONDA!"

'Prince Yuki' is the name for the Yuki Sohma fan club that exists within Kaibara High School. They say its membership includes more than half the female student body! Their club mission statement is: 'Let us all extol, love, and protect the Prince who has graced our school with his presence'…

But what they really mean is, 'Don't steal him, bitch!'. And so the club rules are strict and absolute.

_1. Do not steal Prince Charming's private property._

_ 2. Do not go inside the Prince's house._

_3. When you talk to him, you must have someone with you._

_4. Refer to him as follows:_

_Third Years= Yuki_

_Second Years= Yuki-Kun_

_First Years= Sohma-Kun _

_5. Ect. _

"Our club can no longer turn a blind eye to these countless transgressions," said Motoko. "Now that my seniors have graduated, I can finally enforce the rules properly. Tohru Honda must be punished! What gives _her_ the right to laugh with Yuki, to come to school with Yuki…and to be so close even to the relatives of the divine Yuki? Tohru Honda…that girl is a witch!"

Motoko theatrically leaned back as if falling, and continued, "Ahh! If my beloved Yuki were to be so thoroughly deceived by this witch, and, God forbid, fall…fall…fall in _love_ with her, I…!"

"Please stop!" erupted Minami, "We have to protect him from such witches!"

"You're right…" Motoko said, "You're exactly right, Minami-San! But the witch is protected by a demon lord with tremendous powers…" –Hanajima— "Yes…A demon who controls electro-poison denpa waves!"

"Yes, those waves are indeed very terrible." Minami said, gazing. _I was put to sleep for a week. I heard voices in my head the entire time. No one will believe me. _Yes, Minami remembered, clearly, the horror she was put through by the waves on the day of the endurance run.

"I feel your pain, Minami-San…" Motoko empathized.

"Arisa Uotani is a Yankee, but at least she's human!" Kinoshita said, on the bright side. She clenched her fist. "There are still ways to fight her! But Hanajima…she's something else entirely! She crossed the limits of humanity long ago!"

Motoko walked back to the window. "Yes…Yes, you are absolutely right. But if we want to eliminate the witch…first we must cause the demon who protects her to retreat. That is why we cannot allow 'Operation: Invade the wave girl's house' to fail." She turned. "No matter what it takes, we _must_ find the demon's weakness…and use that weakness to seal her poisonous waves!"

Motoko then declared, "To protect Yuki's young, tender heart…let's all do our best!"

"YES MA'AM!"

sss

Hanajima, Minami, Mio, and Motoko walked out and down the train station steps. "This way…we turn here," Hana told them, pointing down the sidewalk.

"Um, okay?" Minami said, nervously.

"Hanajima-San, you ride the train to school?" Motoko said, also, very nervously.

They all followed Hanajima down the sidewalk, but not very closely. "C'mon, you two. We mustn't hesitate! We have to be strong to exterminate the demon!"

"Yes ma'am!" Minami replied, respectfully.

"But…" Mio started, "what do you think Hanajima-Senpai's house will be like?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know…It's just, when I imagine it…I see a creepy old western-style house covered in lots of ivy, and for some reason the sky around it is always cloudy. And in the yard there are tombstones! And in her room there's a strange magic circle, and fallen statues, as if she were starting some kind of ritual…" she thoroughly described.

Minami and Motoko stood, horrified, but they eventually all carried on, following Hana. Minami laughed, "Senpai, what will we do if her house really is freaky like that?"

"We'll run for our lives!" Motoko smiled.

Before the three of them knew it, Hana said, "We're here."

"What? Already?"

They all looked at the house she was walking towards, and were relieved to see that it was just like any other ordinary home. "It's a _normal _house!" Mio cried happily.

"Oh, Mio-San, you had us worried for nothing!" said Motoko.

As everyone strolled through the door, Minami said, "Th-Thanks for having us," and smiled, still nervous like everyone else.

"This is a pretty big house."

"You three…" Hanajima turned around. "For your safety, I suggest you do not speak your real names in this house."

The three of them froze, while Hana walked on. _Why's that? _They all thought.

They followed her up to her room, and Hana left them there so she could go prepare tea.

"Her room's normal too. Thank goodness!" Mio breathed a sigh of relief. _It's kind of black, though…_ Everything in her room was straight up black. "But I still don't understand why we can't say our—"

"You two!" interrupted Motoko. She stood. "Now's our chance, while the demon's making tea! Look for the demon's weakness!"

"Ah! Yes ma'am!" said both Minami and Mio. They frantically searched every crevice of the room, as if they were trained to do this every day.

"Anything will do. A diary, a photograph…a poem!" Motoko suggested. "The more personal the better. If it comes down to it, even her underwear will…" She slid open the door to what seemed like a closet, to become face to face with a strange figure. "…do…"

In the closet, surprise, was a younger boy, who looked like a twin of Hana. Black hair, mysterious eyes, sullen expression. Motoko was still at first with her hand still on the door. She very, very slowly shut the door. She stood.

Hanajima was behind her with a tray of tea. "Sorry for making you wait."

"HANAJIMA-SAN—JUST NOW—BEHIND THAT DOOR—THERE—THERE'S SOMETHING—IN THERE—WHAT CAN IT—?" She pointed at the door.

"Um…Megumi?"

"MEH—Huh—wha?"

"My younger brother…his shoes were here, so he must be home from school…Megumi…come out of hiding and say hello…"

Mio and Minami looked over. _Younger brother…?_

The door creaked open. "…Hello…" said Megumi. Cautious, he stayed on the other side, where his room was, actually, which disturbed Motoko. "You're not Tohru-San and Arisa-San…Are you new friends of Saki…?"

"No," said Hana. "They happen to go to the same school, and happen to have the same gender, but they are complete strangers."

_Is she being sarcastic?_

They all sat down in her room to drink tea and have snacks, including Megumi, who broke away from the closet. "Y-You look just like your sister!" Motoko noticed.

"No, he doesn't…" Hana said.

_Yes! He does! He looks exactly like you! _Minami thought.

"Um…well…Megumi…Kun?" said Motoko, shakily, "Megumi-Kun, can you…send waves, or something, too?"

"I can't do anything like that…"

_Oh, good…_ Motoko smiled, relieved.

"All I can do…is _curse_ people…" he finished. The three girls went silent with fear. "My specialty is reciprocating curses with increased intensity…I'm…a little proud of it."

"He's kinda…_strange_…isn't he?" Hana said.

_You shouldn't say things like that! You REALLY shouldn't say things like that!_

Minami didn't make eye contact. "C-curse people? How do you…?" she trailed off.

"With their name," Megumi answered simply. "If I know someone's name…it is easy for me to put a curse on them…Now that you mentioned it…" He looked at them and tilted his head. "I still haven't heard…_your _names."

Everyone had a fearful reaction. Motoko's delayed, and she smiled before standing and exploding with, "Now, now! It would be _rude_ of us to stay too long! Let us finish our business and be on our way, l-like a refreshing gust of wind in the month of May!"

"Your names…"

"That's right!" Minami also stood up abruptly. "Hate to ask questions and run, b-b-but she's right! Yup! Honestly! Really!"

The three girls went to stand together and whisper. "Senpai…I want to leave right now! I'm scared!" Mio whispered to Motoko.

"No! Remember what we came here to do!" Motoko reminded her in a hiss.

"Yeah! We just have to get to the point…" whispered Minami.

"Hanajima-Senpai, do you have a weakness?" Mio asked out loud.

"That's too much to the point!" Minami and Motoko snapped at her.

"I do," answered Hanajima.

They all gathered around her and asked, "What?" expectantly.

Hana averted her eyes. "Such a…heavy matter…You are all in the Yuki Sohma fan club, are you not…? You must hate that Tohru-Kun has gotten to be such a good friend of Yuki Sohma recently…You must want to _punish_ Tohru-Kun…" she assumed. "…But I am in the way of your doing that…Are you…_scared_…? But to look for my weakness…is a very childish way to do things…"

Minami clenched her teeth and looked at her in disbelief. "Th—That's _dirty_! Using _waves_ to _read our minds_!"

"I am not reading your minds…"

_It doesn't take a psychic to tell they're up to something…_even Megumi noticed.

"All right, girls…" Motoko said, "It can't be helped. We've been found out, so let's stop beating around the bush. You're right. We absolutely despise the witch…I mean, Tohru Honda. How about this? Will you ask her…to put a little more _distance_ between herself and Yuki?"

"That is up to the two of them," was Hana's polite decline. Mio was quietly fuming. "Actions spawned from jealousy are quite unbecoming…"

"It's not jealousy! We're rightfully angry!" Mio yelled.

"Yeah! Who does she think she is?" Minami also hollered. "What makes her think Yuki-Kun wants to be around _her_? She makes me sick!"

_That sounds like jealousy to me,_ thought Megumi. He sipped his tea.

"What about _you_?" Hana asked, "What do you know about _Tohru-Kun_? It saddens me to know that she is looked down upon…merely for her association with something like Yuki…"

"S—'Something like'…? You would _dare_ call the Prince '_a thing_'? Did you hear that? Did you two hear her?" Motoko was horrified.

"Yes! But of course, we heard her!" Mio and Minami said.

"It's because you look down on Tohru-Kun…" Hana attempted to speak.

"What about _you_! _You're_ looking down on Yuki…and on _us_! Look at you! You're mocking us with those light-less eyes!" Hanajima's eyes have always been lightless. "I—_we_—truly _adore_ Yuki. Dare I say, we _love _him. Do you understand how much Tohru Honda's actions are trampling on those feelings?" Motoko put her hand on her heart, and proceeded, "Making that face like she's…like _she's_ the one Yuki likes the most. Making sport of Yuki and getting all conceited!"

"If you _like_ him…" Megumi interjected, "you cannot say whatever comes into your head…and assume you will be forgiven…If _you_ like him, how can you speak about him so disrespectfully?" Motoko stared at him with wide eyes. "You should choose your words more thoughtfully. You should know that if you bombard someone…with one-sided love…then you are nothing but a burden to them…and you will just end up hurting them in the end…"

"You must remember to respect the other person's feelings," explained Megumi. "for if you do not…he will only _hate_ you in the end. _Minami-San…Mio-San…and Motoko-San_?" he addressed them each by name.

The three girls were out there in less than a second. Out of the house, and down the street. Hanajima and Megumi walked down the steps. "Did I…go too far…?" Megumi asked his sister.

"No…But when did you learn their names?"

"While you were making tea, they were calling each other by name. It wasn't hard…" This was also when he was behind the sliding door, in his room.

"Actually…" Hana said, as Megumi turned to her, "I was a little…_jealous_, too…" _It felt like the Sohma family had taken Tohru-Kun from me. It left me feeling…lonely. _"But…"

"_Respect the other's feelings." _He had said.

"You were right," she admitted. "That's why I cannot be selfish…" She took out her braid, letting her long, black, silky hair flow down her back. "I mustn't be like those three…" She looked down at her brother. Hanajima did know, though, that it was rude to call Yuki a thing. "You can learn from their bad example…"

Their doorbell rang. "Coming." Hana looked up, and walked to the door to open it and see Arisa and Tohru.

"Yo!" Uo said.

"Hana-Chan!" Tohru said, urgent.

"Tohru-Kun…?"

"I met her at the station," Uo told her.

"Hana –Chan, um, um, where are Kinoshita-San and the others?" asked Tohru.

Megumi walked up to the door, realizing who their guests were. "I haven't seen you in a while, Tohru-San…Arisa-San…"

"Ah!" Tohru's attention switched. "It _has_ been a while, Megumi-San!" She smiled.

"Hey," Uo quietly said to Hana while Tohru was talking to Megumi. "I think she was worried about you."

Megumi told Tohru that everyone had gone home, and she asked had everything been all right, and such. Uo joined their conversation, "What? They already left?"

Hanajima didn't move. _When you treasure someone…it can be a little painful to see them find happiness with another…and sometimes you may get lonely…but… _She looked over to see Megumi smiling at her. She smiled back. _…it can also make you happy. _

"Tohru-Kun has to go to work after this, would you like to join us in escorting her?" Hana asked her brother, still smiling.

"Yes…"

"So we're all going!" announced Uotani excitedly.

_All the same…my weakness will always be…Tohru-Kun._

sss

Hanajima and Tohru stood before Motoko, Mio, and Kinoshita, or Minami. The three girls were glaring. "…Hello," said Hana.

"HELLO!" Tohru bowed unnaturally.

"…Hello," said Motoko, not changing her expression. "Yesterday, we failed and ran away…but the Prince Yuki club will never give into you!"

"Huh…?" Tohru was utterly lost.

The three other girls turned to walk away. "As you wish…Oh, and by the way…the curse will take effect in three days," Hanajima warned. They all froze in mid-step.

They whirled around, laughing nervously. "Hanajima-San, y-y-you don't mean we're really cursed?"

"Who knows? You'll just have to find out in three days…"

"YOU'RE A DEMON! YOU'RE A DEMON IN MIND AND BODY!"

sss

"I'm sorry for speaking poorly of you…," Hana said to Yuki. "Things must be difficult for you, too…"

"…Huh?"

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**A/N: Thanks for reading! See ya! ;)  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry it's been long... It might be even longer this next update, because I'm trying to write an original story right now... :( I'll try to write whenever I have spare time.  
**

** Happy reading, guys! I loooove this chapter. :P **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket. D:  
**

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_Where does your happiness come from?_

sss

"By now you should've received the results of your mid-terms, but…" said Mrs. Shiraki, "if you've gotten red marks in even _one_ of your subjects…you're making it up on Sunday!"

The class groaned.

"Hey, don't give me that! You should be grateful that us teachers are wasting our time on you guys on our day off!"

"Yeah, yeah," Uo leaned back in her chair by her seat next to the window. "If you're gonna bitch about make-up tests, then don't get red marks to begin with," she asserted. She then smiled and looked at Tohru. "Of course, we have nothing to worry about. Right, To…hru…?"

Tohru had her face in her hands.

"You got red marks?" Uo looked sad, now. Tohru nodded. "How many…?" she dared ask. Tohru held up a finger. "What?" Uo cheered up again, "Only one? No big deal! Nothing to get depressed about!"

"That's right, Tohru-Kun," Hanajima agreed, and patted Tohru on the back. "That's cute compared to me." She placed her other hand on her chest. "I got red marks in _every_ subject…" She grinned.

"Everyone needs to get knocked down a peg, now and then," Uo told her. "But this is the first time you've gotten a red mark, right Tohru? Maybe you could get Prince Charming to help you this time?"

"No…he _did_ help me," she said, feeling so stupid.

Just then, Yuki walked up to them. He looked worried. "Honda-San? Don't tell me you have to…take a make-up test?"

Tohru gasped and jumped. She got up and went away from him to face the wall. She looked down. "I'm so sorry!"

"Eh, um…Honda-San?" He followed her, along with Uotani and Hanajima.

Tohru went to her knees. _I'm so pathetic! Yuki-Kun went to all the trouble to help me, and I still got a red mark…I've returned his good with failure. I can't face him! _She developed a bad headache.

"Honda-San," Yuki bent down to her side, smiling kindly. "You shouldn't worry about it so much. Everyone has their off days." She looked up at him. "And the questions on make-up tests are supposed to be easier than on normal tests, so you'll do fine," he assured her.

"Yes, it's a piece of cake," Hanajima said, as her and Uo kneeled down, also.

"Yeah, _you_ should know," Uo narrowed her eyes at her for so many red marks.

Tohru kept her gaze downward. _I'm so pathetic._

sss

Kyo and Tohru were walking home from school later that day. It was silent, mostly, until Kyo turned. "So…you have to take a make-up test?" She gasped and backed, quickly, away from him. She turned around once she was far away. "What's wrong with you, you want me to just leave you there?" He narrowed his eyes. "Hey."

She hesitated, but then went back and they continued walking. While they were walking, Tohru thought. _Somehow…I've become extremely depressed. _She was having a hard time walking, and she noticed immediately. _I'm so pathetic. I wonder if I'll be able to keep the promise I made with Mom…that I'd graduate high school. To think I got a red mark._

_ How could I allow this to happen? _She was in a daze, unable to see straightly, either. _Ahh! Why? Why can't I…get it together? _Right then she walked straight into Kyo's back, with her head down. Strangely, she didn't jump back and apologize. She stayed.

Kyo stopped walking and looked back, truly worried for her, now. "Wha—? What's up? Hey!" She didn't move. "Hey?" She still stay put. "Look, I know you're upset…but is that anything to get _depressed _about?"

He looked over his shoulder, hoping she'd respond. She didn't and he looked away with a sigh. "Sheesh…You're hopeless. You know, you'll end up with a fever if you keep that up…"

The feeling of her head against him disappeared and she slumped to the ground. Kyo panicked and kneeled down to her. "Do you have a fever? Wait a second—did you get a fever right after I said it?" Tohru didn't do anything, face red hot, lying on the ground.

sss

Shigure sat in front of Tohru, who was wrapped in a blanket back at the house, while Kyo stood nearby. "38.2 degrees Celsius," he reported, eyeing the thermometer. "The name of Tohru-Kun's disease is…a cold."

"I coulda told you that much!" Kyo said, hands on hips. "Just make her get some sleep, already!"

Tohru forced a smile and held up a hand, saying, "I'm all right…As soon as I take some medicine, I'll recover…" She swayed. "I haven't bought the ingredients for dinner…"

"Just go to sleep!" Kyo suggested, annoyed with the fact that she wants to do everything to help them, versus herself who needed it more. "You're so worried about other people's colds, so why don't you care about your own!"

"B-but…I have to work today…"

"Tohru-Kun, Tohru-Kun…" Shigure shook his head. "The only thing you have to worry about today is getting some shut-eye. We'll take care of everything else," he said. "You just get rest."

"Eh? B-but—"

"Tohru-Kun?" Shigure leaned in. "You're a good girl," he said, tapping her nose with his index finger, "So do what I say, okay?" He smiled.

Tohru flinched and looked at him. "…'Kay," she said, finally.

"Good girl!"

sss

Tohru sighed as she stood next to her bed, buttoning her pajama shirt. _This is the worst time for me to get a cold. I just keep getting…more and more pathetic…_

While Tohru was resting, Shigure was downstairs on the line with Momiji. _"TOHRU HAS A COLD? IS SHE OKAY? IS SHE GETTING ENOUGH REST?" _

Shigure held the phone away from his face. "Momitchi, you're so loud!" He put the receiver back near his face. "I made her take the day off work so she could rest. So she won't be going over there today."

_"AH! I SEE! OKAY! I GOT IT! LEAVE IT TO ME!" _

Right then Momiji hung up and the dial tone came on. Shigure looked at the phone, confused. _Leave what?_

sss

"Okay, you know, about today—Tohru is staying home sick! So today, I'll be working in her place!" cheered Momiji, holding a smile. The two workers looked at him. "I'll try my best to clean Tohru's share!"

They both still just looked at him wondering where in the world he came from in the first place…

sss

After getting off the phone with Momiji, Shigure walked into the kitchen, but stopped, wide-eyed, when he saw Kyo cooking pot of something on the stove. "Eh? This can't be. Surely my eyes deceive me! Kyo-Kun, what can you possibly be doing?"

"Can't you tell from looking?" Kyo kept his eyes on the pot.

"Is this for Tohru-Kun?"

"You can't expect a sick person to cook for herself," Kyo pointed out.

They stood there silently, only the sound of the pot's contents simmering filled the room. Shigure stood next to him, smiling stupidly.

Kyo turned suddenly, angry. "What? You got a problem?"

"But I didn't say anything," Shigure defended with his hands up, frightened by his temper. "By the way, what are _we_ going to eat?"

"Takeout what else?" Kyo switched off the stove and picked up the pot and placed it onto a tray. "And why do I have to do this anyway?" He took the tray, kicked the door open, and headed for the stairs.

"If you break my house, I'll charge you for repairs! Charge, charge!" said Shigure, noticing how he'd abused the door just then. He listened to Kyo stomp up the stairs. He chuckled to himself. "He's quite the gentleman, isn't he?"

Kyo reached the upstairs hallway, but he paused before continuing. He looked at the open door to the deck, remembering the many times he's seen her smiling happily as she hung clothes. He just looked for a moment, then continued.

He got to her room and set down the tray. She came and sat down on the floor, clasping her hands. "_You_ made this, Kyo-Kun? That's amazing. I'm so happy!" She smiled at him.

He sat on the other side of the tray and put his head on his knees. "Yeah, yeah, just eat already!"

"Yes, thank you!" She took a spoonful and tried the soup. "It's delicious!" she said.

He put his head up and looked at her, not exactly happy. He stood up. "When you're done, leave the dishes in the hall."

As he started to leave, Tohru stopped him. "Um, um…I'm sorry! For everything…" She said.

He stopped and looked at her. "If you're really sorry…get over that cold."

She looked away. "Okay…" she said, voice thick with tears.

"There you go again," he turned back and returned to his spot on the floor. "You're _crying_!" He was on his knees, looking down with his palms against the carpet.

"I-I'm sorry…" she said, tears coming down.

"What? Just say it. I'll listen…to your problems," he said.

"I…I want to keep the promise…I made with my mom. But…I got a red mark. I'm so pathetic…I failed Yuki-Kin, too. And now I even caught a _cold._ I-I want to be…to be…_level-headed_…someone people can _depend_ on!" She looked down, and her tears hit the floor.

After a silence, Kyo asked, "Are you done?"

"I'm done…"

"You can make up for getting as many red marks as you want with makeup tests. And who cares about that damn Yuki? You can overwork him until he _dies_. Do us all a favor!" Then he successfully calmed down. "It's not cool making yourself sick from worrying. Just get over it so you can wander around the house with that idiotic expression like you always do. If you don't, I'll, I'll…I'll go crazy."

She looked at him with wide eyes.

"So…if it'll make you able to wander around again… I can at least make you food. So…don't worry…about all that crap." Tohru looked at him still, realizing he was trying to cheer her up. "Eat! Now! Your fever's never gonna go down!"

"Yes!" she said back, picking up the spoon again. She smiled. "It really is delicious!"

Kyo had his head down on his arm, leaning on the tray. "There's no way that tastes good. Not at all, compared to…_your_ cooking," he said. He peeked out at her. She was smiling. He sat up, but looked away. "You being level-headed would be creepy."

_Thank you…thank you, Kyo-Kun._

sss

Later that day, Tohru sat in her bed, surrounded by Hatori, Kisa, Shigure, and Momiji. Hatori prepared a syringe. Momiji stood with Kisa at the foot of her bed. "Don't get it wrong, Ha'ri!" Momiji said, looking worried. "If Tohru starts to hurt, stop, okay!"

Hatori injected the medicine into Tohru's arm. "It's all right," she smiled. "It doesn't hurt at all," she told him.

"But Shii-Chan was saying it hurts!" Momiji continued. "He said it hurt a whole lot! He said he kept getting the wrong place!"

"I did that on purpose," said Hatori, finishing up.

"Haa-San!" Shigure exclaimed, "Taking advantage of your poor, helpless patient…You're so sadistic! I knew you were doing it on purpose!"

_It's your fault for complaining so much, _Hatori thought to himself. "If all you're going to do is make noise, then get out. It's bad for the patient." Shigure and Momiji left.

Kisa came up close to the bed with Tohru, as Tohru asked, "Um…Hatori-San? What do I owe you?"

He turned around, since he was just about leaving. "Get well soon," he said, smiling, which was rare. "Because when you're stuck in bed, sick, it would seem…that there are a lot of guys that won't calm down. If you need anything, call me."

The girls said nothing, but watched as he left. Kisa looked up at Tohru. "I wonder if Hatori Oji-Chan was one of those guys who wouldn't calm down?"

"I don't think…Eh? Oji-Chan? You said—?" Tohru looked at her strangely. Oji-Chan was a term for middle aged men. Tohru went over it in her head. _W-well, Kisa-San is twelve…Hatori-San is twenty-seven…With an age difference of fifteen years, I guess it makes sense…I think…What about Shigure-San and Ayame-San? Shigure Oji-San and Ayame Oji-San…?_

Someone knocked on the door. "C-come in…"

The door opened and Yuki leaned in, with a smile. "Can I…come in now?"

"Ah! Yes, of course!"

"What did Hatori say?" Yuki asked, smiling as he greeted Kisa, who smiled with him.

"He said I'll probably recover soon!" she said happily.

"That's good. In the meantime, here," he said, handing her a composition notebook. She looked at him, confused. "I gathered questions to help you prepare for the make-up test." She looked surprised. "If you can answer these, I'm sure you'll do fine. When you're feeling better, would you like to go over them with me?"

She smiled, huge. "Ah…! Thank you so much!"

He just grinned at her, tilting his head slightly.

_Wanting to get better…not for myself…but for other people…is a wonderful feeling._

sss

"What. What is that, Kyo?" Momiji reached for the cook book Kyo was reading. "Are you training to be a bride?"

"HELL NO, RUNT," Kyo said, pulling away. "Shut up! Go away kid!"

sss

Shigure looked up from his novel. "Haa-San, what would you like to eat of Tohru-Kun's home cooking?"

"Huh?"

"She might make something for you to thank you!"

sss

"The make-up tests really are easier," said Hana, the next day. All wondered if she'd failed on purpose to get it less tough than everyone else.

sss

_ My happiness comes from…the kindness of everyone around me._

_

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_**A/N: So, everyone! Where does your happiness come from? :) **


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